One Step At A Time
by Fanfictionally
Summary: Peeta is in love with Katniss Everdeen, but she has trust issues. Peeta decides he'd do anything for her, so he creates a plan to get closer to her and make her his.


**Quick message to everyone before beginning: Panem is still Panem, sort of. There are still 12 districts; the 13th is unknown. The Capitol still exists, too, but everything else about it is more like the current America. District 12 isn't as poor, either. There's a lot more freedom. Anyways, that's the setting. (Important part of the plot.)**

**Peeta's POV**

Katniss Everdeen.

Damn that girl.

I love her.

But she doesn't even know I exist. I've liked her since the first day of kindergarten when my father pointed her out to me in the crowd of people. Here I am over 12 years later, a senior in high school, and my feelings have all but went away. I've talked to her once, when her father died. I told her I was sorry for her loss, like what everyone else who barely knew her was saying. I blew my shot at getting to know her then. But this year would change.

Katniss had trust issues; I knew that much. She never talked to anyone but Gale and Madge, but Gale was finally old enough to work in the mines and wasn't in school anymore. I was going to get to know her. Before I could be with her the way I had dreamed of for so long, I had to be her friend. I had to let her get to know me. I had a plan all set out so that by the end of the year, I could possibly be her boyfriend. Maybe even close enough to last through college together... But I doubted it.

If I got to kiss her once, I could die happy.

Or so I thought.

* * *

_First month: get to know her better; talk to her._

_Second month: continue first month with deeper conversations._

_Third month: get her to open up completely to you._

_Fourth month: take her on a road trip (winter break)._

_Fifth month: kiss her._

_Sixth month: __(if she responds positively): date her_

_Seventh month: __confess your undying love._  


_Eighth month: let her control the relationship__  
_

_Ninth -and final- month: hope to stay with her over college_

This was my list. I'd written it in my sketchbook, right before I was supposed to wake up for school. As I finished, Jack and Alex (my brothers) walked in.

"Hey Peeta, got something there?" Jack asked, a smirk on his face as he grabbed the notebook from my hands.

"Yo, Peeta, I don't see _bang Katniss_ anywhere on here," Alex commented.

"That's not what it's about with me and her," I said, reaching for my notebook. Alex grabbed it from Jack before I could get to it and flipped to a random page that just so happened to be a drawing of Katniss naked. That's how I always thought she would look, anyways.

"This says another thing, Peeta." Alex smirked at me.

"When you get home, we'll teach you the techniques," Jack said. Alex threw the notepad on my desk and they walked out. I sighed and ran my fingers through my messy hair. Today is off to a terrible start.

I got dressed in a plain t-shirt and jeans, brushing my hair with my fingers. I'd gotten a bit taller over the summer; I was about 6' 2. I'd been working out more, too, mostly because I had more hours at the bakery and the flour bags were heavy. My brothers were at some camp most of the time, and my dad was getting older, so I did most of the heavy lifting. My t-shirt had gotten a bit tighter; I had a 6-pack now. I was modest, so normally I wouldn't wear a shirt that showed off my new muscles this much, but my mom hated me. I went shopping for new clothes every two years, and this year was no exception. I'd spent most of my money on paints, and I only got a small percentage of our profit since my mother insisted that she keep it for having to deal with me for all these years. I couldn't wait to graduate so I could get away from her. Funny thing was, Alex and Jack got their fair share and they were more hectic than me. I didn't let it get to me though; I got to leave in a few months.

I was ready almost an hour before I had to start walking there. I went downstairs to see my mother already working my dad to the bone. I felt truly sorry for him; he deserved someone better. I walked past my mother yelling demands and snuck out before she noticed me. It was pretty warm for September, but not warm enough for a t-shirt. I had shoved my leather jacket into my bag and took it out, grateful I didn't have to go back in there to get it. I threw it on, putting my bag back on my shoulder and walked to Delly's house, hoping she was there. As I walked through the front yard she came out and met me at the sidewalk. I smiled and hugged her. She'd been at camp, too, so I hadn't seen her for almost three months.

"Peeta, I missed you so much!" she said, hugging me tighter.

"I missed you, too, Dell."

She pulled back, keeping a grip on my arms. She could hardly reach my shoulders anymore. "You've gotten... muscular," she commented.

I nodded. "Yeah, extra shifts at the bakery," I told her. She nodded and we began walking to school.

"You know, camp was really boring. I had a lot of time to think... and I've missed you. What's it going to be like when we go off to college, you know?"

"Yeah, I've been thinking about that, too," I told her. To be honest, it had been more about Katniss and I than anything.

"Anyways, I decided that this year I'd just... take one day at a time. Do what I've always wanted to do before it's too late."

By this time, we were in school. Dell's locker was near mine, and we were putting our books away and taking out what we needed. She paused, shutting her locker and walking towards me.

"What do you think about that?" she asked, getting closer than usual.

"It's a good idea. After high school, everything'll change so why not?"

She nodded. "I'm glad you feel that way." I turned to look at her, stopping my dig through my locker that was already messy.

Before I knew what was happening, her lips were pressed against mine. It was over as soon as it started. I staggered back a little and she smiled at me, walking to her first class.

I turned to watch her go, but someone else caught my attention.

Katniss saw what just happened. She looked at me for a second until she realized I was looking back at her, and walked to her own locker. I hit my head against my own locker as I shut it. That kiss might set my plan back two months. And time was not on my side.

* * *

**Katniss's POV**

The first day of the last year of high school was bittersweet. I didn't have many friends and I honestly didn't like school all that much without Gale here, but I didn't want to go away. There was something I hadn't done yet that my sub-conscience was telling me I should do. I had no idea what it was, and I wasn't getting any hints. That is, until I got to school. I was passing the locker bays, searching for mine, when I saw him. This incredibly attractive guy in a leather jacket. He was at his locker, digging through it. He was utterly breathtaking. Tall, muscular, blonde, with a sort of badass feel to him. He looked familiar so he wasn't new. He turned away from me, looking at a girl. Delly, from what I could tell. She was always hanging around the boy with the bread; Peeta. I'd only talked to him once, when he apologized for my father's death. I practically blew him off, though. I saw Delly's face get closer to his and she kissed him on the lips.

Of course. A boy like that is always taken. She smiled at him and walked away. I noticed him stagger back a bit. Delly walked past me, still smiling. The boy turned to look in my direction, after her. Then he saw me.

I looked at his face. It couldn't be... Peeta. Peeta? I forgot that he was looking at me. I snapped out of it after what felt like an hour but was probably only a second or two, and walked away to go find my locker. Great. Now he probably thinks I'm some creepy girl for staring at him. I didn't think he was dating Delly, though. But with that body, who could spend that much time with him and not go after him? I sighed. As I put my things away, my vision began to blur. Was I about to... cry? No. I didn't even like him like that... right? I shoved everything into my locker except for my pencil, notebook, and math book. I rushed into the bathroom, right on time. It was empty, and I went into one of the stalls as a few tears slipped out. It only took a minute or two for me to stop crying and my eyes to turn less red. I had ten minutes to spare so I went to the small library and checked out Safe Haven and A Walk To Remember by Nicholas Sparks. I'd read them both a hundred times; I was in love with Nicholas Sparks.

I walked back to the math room just in time. We still had assigned seats, I guess, because there was a chart that everyone was gathered around. I found my spot easily, not bothering to look at who was going to be sitting around me. I probably should have, because then I wouldn't be so surprised when none other than Peeta Mellark plopped down next to me.

"Hey," he said, smiling at me.

"Hi," I replied, looking down at my hands.

He hesitated, looking over at my books. "Nicholas Sparks, huh? I've read a few of his books." I nod. "He's really a great author," Peeta continues. "He knows so much about women and what they want. I'm sure he's a lady's man," Peeta joked. "In the least man whore-ish way possible, anyways. He just really understands girls and what they want. To be honest, I'm a bit jealous. The best part of Safe Haven is the plot; trying to start a new life after you've been broken down. Not just completely giving up on love. I think it gives women in those sorts of domestic abuse situations hope. And A Walk To Remember. That's probably my favorite book by him. Not only is it in a guy's point of view, but the ending is perfect. He doesn't end with a close-minded sentence. It's more like 'anything could happen', you know? She could have died, but she could still be alive. There are so many ways to interpret it. I personally think that the miracle is that he met her in the first place. And in that short amount of time that she was alive, she was able to change someone's life. I think that if the girl I loved ever died, I'd never remarry, either. There's someone that you're meant to be with. And if you can't decide between two people, it's neither of them. You _know._ I also believe in love at first sight. I've had it..." He trails off, looking back up at me. I sit there in silence, not really sure what to say. I barely know him, yet, here he is, telling me all of this. It's deep... like his life story, but not quite.

I knew one thing, for sure.

I wanted to get to know Peeta Mellark.

* * *

**Did you like it? Review and let me know! I haven't written the second chapter yet, but as soon as I get a few reviews, I'll start it. I just want to know if you guys like it, because it's not just for me. Review! Thanks, everyone.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own A Walk To Remember, Safe Haven, or Nicholas Sparks. The amazing characters from The Hunger Games belong to Suzanne Collins. (I think I spelled that right, sorry if I didn't...)**


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